More than 460 pieces of artwork were entered into the Bundaberg Art Prize 2019 and local retirees were prominent among the entrants.
Retired roofing plumber Allan Watson picked up the oil paints and brush about three years ago and has been teaching himself how to paint ever since.
“I was a tradie all my life and there is a lot of creativity in being a trade workman,” Allan said.
“Part of being a good tradesman is part artist.”
Allan said the Bundaberg Art Prize was a wonderful idea and he hoped it would become a permanent event on the local calendar.
“It’s great for the region, great for tourism – I think it will help bring people in,” he said.
“It’s good for the centre of the town and shows people what we have here.
“It’s got a huge amount of potential and if it runs again next year I am already thinking of the painting.”
Allan said he hadn’t picked up a paint brush since high school, but since retiring he now had more time on his hands to sit, relax and create.
He said it was the second time he had entered an art competition, the first being the Moore Park Beach Arts Festival earlier this year.
“My wife and I helped hang the artwork here and some of the work here is just fantastic,” Allan said.
“My granddaughter Rachael is my subject and I enjoyed painting her and her friends.
“The name of the artwork is Adagio, which means slow and gentle, and the second piece I entered is Allegretto, which means quick and if you know the two girls that’s a perfect representation of them.”
Maggie discovers love for art
Maggie Spenceley entered four pieces in the Bundaberg Art Prize in two different sections, and said it was her life learnings that inspired her artwork.
As a retired biology teacher, Maggie said her free time was used to create pieces which seized the natural surroundings.
Her acrylic work captures the textures of the environment which Maggie photographed while holidaying overseas.
“This one is tropical vegetation and this one is temperate vegetation,” Maggie explained.
“Botany was my original degree, I love plants and a lot of my artwork is themed around them.
“It’s all about the leaves and the light, the texture of it all, I just love the textures.”
Maggie said typically one piece of work would take her about 30 hours to complete and it was all done because of her passion.
“I’ve always enjoyed art, doodling and those sorts of things,” she said.
“But it wasn’t until I moved to Bundaberg when I started taking the art seriously.”
The Bundaberg Art Prize had 461 entries from 250 artists with the majority of them coming from the Bundaberg Region.
The art exhibition is open in the Bundaberg CBD in the Suncorp arcade until September 29.
- Winners: Bundaberg Art Prize quality made judging difficult
